Laser angioplasty

• US 4,770,653 A
• Filed: 06/25/1987
• Issued: 09/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarus Medical LLC
• Original Assignee: Medilase Incorporated
• Inventors: Shturman, Leonid
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Ralph
• Application Number:
  US07/066,937
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/21, 604/95, 604/96, 128/4, 128/6, 128/657
• US Class Current: 606/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence

Abstract

Aimable catheters for laser angioplasty, including at its distal end a positioning means carrying a laser radiation transmission means and/or optical viewing means, the positioning means being rotatable about an axis spaced from that of the catheter.

Claims

1. A medical device for insertion into remote locations and for being operated by remote control when so located, the device comprising:

a body adapted for insertion into a remote location and having a working distal end and having a proximal end control portion, the body, at least at the working distal end, being constructed and arranged for rotation about a longitudinal first axis;

positioning means carried at the working distal end of the body for rotation with the body about the first axis and for rotation with respect thereto about a second axis which is displaced relative to the longitudinal first axis, the second axis being located a fixed distance from the first axis and both axes extending out of the distal end;

means mounting the positioning means for rotation about the second axis;

working means carried by the positioning means in a location displaced relative to the second axis for rotation with the positioning means, said working means being oriented such that it faces out of the distal end of said body, and

remote control means at the proximal end portion operably connected to the positioning means for rotating it.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the diameter of the positioning means associated with the second axis is larger than the radius of the body associated with the first axis.

3. A catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted for insertion into a vessel and for rotation about a longitudinal first axis when in the vessel, the body having proximal and distal ends;

positioning means mounted at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation with the body about the first axis with respect thereto and about a second axis which is displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter body whereby the second axis is located a fixed distance from the first axis both axes extending out of the distal end;

working means carried by the positioning means for rotation therewith, the working means being carried thereby in a position displaced relative to the second axis and being oriented such that is faces out of the distal end of said body.

4. The catheter of claim 3 wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis.

5. The catheter of claim 3 including means operably connected to the positioning means for rotating it about the second axis.

6. A catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted for insertion into a vessel and for rotation about a longitudinal first axis when in the vessel, the body having proximal and distal ends;

positioning means mounted at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation with the body about the first axis with respect thereto and about a second axis which is displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter body whereby the second axis is located a fixed distance from the first axis;

electromagnetic radiation transmission means carried by the positioning means for rotation therewith, the working means being carried thereby in a position displaced relative to the second axis.

7. A catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted for insertion into a vessel and for rotation about a longitudinal first axis when in the vessel, the body having proximal and distal ends;

positioning means mounted at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation with the body about the first axis with respect thereto and about a second axis which is displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter body whereby the second axis is located a fixed distance from the first axis;

an optical fiber bundle where said bundle is operably connected to a receiving means at the proximal end, and carried by the positioning means for rotation therewith, the working means being carried thereby in a position displaced relative to the second axis.

8. A catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted for insertion into a vessel and for rotation about a longitudinal first axis when in the vessel, the body having proximal and distal ends, and wherein the catheter body is of flexible plastic and includes a conduit at least at the distal end thereof;

positioning means comprising a body received by the conduit for rotation therein mounted at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation with the body about the first axis with respect thereto and about a second axis which is displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter body whereby the second axis is located a fixed distance from the first axis;

working means carried by the positioning means for rotation therewith, the working means being carried thereby in a position displaced relative to the second axis.

9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the conduit extends substantially over the length of the catheter body as well as does the positioning means.

10. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the conduit is located in a displaced position with respect to the first axis.

11. A device for aiming high energy electromagnetic radiation from a laser source at an area within a blood vessel containing plaque, the device comprising:

a flexible elongate catheter body having proximal and distal end portions, the body being constructed and arranged for rotation about a first axis;

flexible elongate radiation transmitting means having proximate and distal ends and extending longitudinally through the catheter for transmitting radiation introduced at the proximal end to the distal end of the catheter, the distal end being constructed and arranged for directing transmitted radiation from the catheter;

positioning means mounted in the distal end portion of the catheter body for rotation with the body about the first axis and for rotation about a second axis which is displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter whereby the positioning means axis is located a fixed distance from the first axis, the positioning means including means for receiving and supporting the distal end of the radiation transmitting means in a displaced position relative to the second axis of rotation of the positioning means whereby rotation of the positioning means within the catheter controls the position of the end portion of the light transmitting means relative to the first axis of the catheter and rotation of at least the distal end portion of the catheter body when placed in a vessel and in combination with the foregoing rotation, controls the position of the end portion of the light transmitting means within the cross sectional area of the vessel to thereby allow aiming of the transmitted radiation within the vessel, and

means operably connected to the positioning means for rotating it.

12. The catheter of claim 11 wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis.

13. The catheter of claim 11 wherein the catheter body includes a conduit at least in the distal end portion thereof, the conduit being displaced relative to the first axis of the catheter body, and the positioning means is received by the conduit for rotation therein.

14. The catheter of claim 13 wherein the catheter body is of a flexible plastic;

the conduit extends over substantially its entire length and the positioning means is an elongate flexible body as well.

15. The catheter of claim 13 including a torque wire, one end of which is operably connected to the positioning means for controlling the rotation of the positioning means, the other end being attached to a rotation control means for controlling rotation of the torque wire.